Of Lust and Passion
by noirheart
Summary: Chapter 3 Installed: Rukia and Ichigo tried to settle their own feelings to each other... No matter how hard they tried to deny it, that feeling would be still existing on the depth of their heart.
1. Chapter 1

**Title: Of Lust and Desire**

**Series: Bleach**

**Author: NoirHeart**

**Rating: T**

**Disclaimer: Bleach respectfully belongs to Kubo Tite**

**Warning: Slight sexual scene**

Ichigo's senses and awareness was always number one, despite his lack ability of sensing reiatsu. He could always tell if dangers were approaching or if something was going wrong. So, when he felt that something –someone– was hopping his sleeping figure and went out from his window, he immediately alarmed and fully awake. Instinctively he grabbed the substitute shinigami badge and then looked outside his windowpane. When he saw the figure who had just been stepping his sleeping body, his eyebrow raised in confuse. Rashly he got up from his bed and then opened his closet. It was empty. His frown was deepened and then quickly he changed his attire before he jumped outside the window to follow that figure, walking alone down the street in the middle of the night.

After Renji was nowhere to be seen Rukia hopped to the second floor windowpane, where Ichigo's room was located. She hoped that Ichigo was still being asleep, because she knew that the strawberry wouldn't be happy to catch her being soaked wet all over in the middle of the night. He sure would bring up some annoying questions and she didn't want that. She just wanted to get in there quietly, had a brief bath, and then went to his closet again to resume her peaceful slumber.

Rukia carefully slid the window open and then examined Ichigo. Ah good, he is still sleeping, she thought. His face was facing the wall, eyes shut tight and his breath was even. But instead of just stepping his sleeping body to reach the closet again, Rukia lingered at his face. "Cute…" she mentally said to herself. Ichigo was an attractive one, she must admit. His deep amber orbs, his permanent frown on his face, his natural orange hair, and his lips, all were too perfect for her. Rukia blushed realizing that she was staring at his face for a little too long. She shook her head and then made one move to step over Ichigo's body. She landed with a silence thud against the cold floor on his room. Alright, she said to herself. Now go to the—

"Where the hell are you from, Rukia?"

Her eyes widened hearing that sudden voice and she stopped on her track. She then turned her head slowly and gave the sleeping figure a side glance. "Ichi… go?" Ichigo's eyes were already glaring at her intensely. He had a deep scowl on his face and Rukia knew that he wouldn't let her away easily from this. Slowly Ichigo got up from his bed and then stood up. His eyes were never left her figure even for the slightest.

"I… Well… I was kind of hungry and then decided to go to the convenience store to buy some foods." She forced a grin on her face. Ichigo said nothing but he just stepped past her and then turned on the light. Rukia's violet orbs widened the instant he did that, instinctively she braced herself in embarrassment. When she said that she was soaking wet, it was really soaking wet and… Well, you know what I mean, don't you? When you were soaking wet, some 'parts' could be visible to the bare eyes through your wet attire. That night Rukia didn't bother changing her clothes when she went outside. She wore a thin layer pure white pajama. So, she was visibly naked when that thin layer got soaked wet.

After turning the light on, he turned around to see her face again and planned to scold her but instead, his face went red and his eyes were locked at that amazingly ravishing scene. He scanned her up and down. He could see her delicate flesh clearly through that wet thin layer and her face was flushing red. .GOD!

"Where are you staring at, pervert!!!" Rukia quickly grabbed a pillow from his bed and then threw it to his face. Ichigo gasped and then instinctively turned his back at her.

"I-I'm sorry! Didn't mean to leer at you like that!" Ichigo had to resist his nosebleed due to that scene earlier. He held his nose and then tried to calm the uneasiness on his core.

"Liar!!! You pervert!!! " Rukia was screaming in embarrassment, her face was still flushing red and her hands were still covering her certain body parts. Ichigo finally gained his composure again after successfully calmed down his primal hunger. Ichigo gulped a big air before he talked to her again, still with his back facing her. He afraid he could not grab a hold of himself if he saw her in that condition again.

"I'm sorry, Okay? Now, Rukia. Where have you been?"

She had to suppress her urge to yell at him again when she sensed his unusual serious tone.

"I was from the convenience store, haven't I told you that?"

"Yeah? For nearly 2 hours and soaking wet? That store must be that far away."

Her eyes widened after hearing his words. Two hours…? How could he know that? Don't tell me that he was still awake when I—"

"So, where have you been, exactly?" his words stopped her train of thought. He had caught her on the act, so there's no point in lying. But at least she tried to cover the 'dance with Renji' part up. She didn't want Ichigo laughed his ass off for her stupidity to dance in the middle of the rain.

"The rain was falling down when I was on my way here, so I decided to—"

"Yeah, right. The nearest convenience store is 10 minutes of walk from here, and the rain started to fall about an hour ago, which means you spent 50 minutes there if my calculation was correct. What the hell were you doing in that goddamn convenience store for 50 minutes, Rukia?!" Rukia could sense a suppressed anger at his tone. Ichigo could be so damn annoying sometimes, she thought. Rukia couldn't find any proper excuse to cover up her lie, so he decided to end this trivial matter quickly.

"That's none of your business." She said coldly as she got passed him toward the door. Right now, all she wanted to do was taking a bath with high temperature water to warm her body from the chilling sensation that she got from her wet clothes rather done arguing something significant with this strawberry-hot-headed shinigami.

"I'm not done yet, Rukia!" Ichigo suddenly turned his face to her and grabbed her wrist harshly. She was startled with his sudden move and then shot a glare at him. "Ichigo, let go of my hand!" she commanded. But Ichigo ignored her words as his grip was getting stronger on her hand. Rukia couldn't understand him; it was just a small matter, for God sake! Why did he have to be this stubborn???

"No, before you tell me the truth." His eyes were flickered with a mix emotion of suppressed anger, disappointment, and… jealousy???

"What truth??? I've told you the truth!!!" she tried her best not to shout at him but to no avail, because she was getting tired and her body was starting to shiver from the chill. It's only a matter of time before she passed out if she didn't get the warmth that her body needed badly right now.

"Yeah?! Well I'm sorry, but you seemed to miss one point on your so-called truth!"

"What are you talking about, Ichigo?! I don't—"

"The fuck you don't understand?! Have you told me that you're dancing in the rain with Renji?!" Rukia gasped after hearing his statement… How… How on earth he knew about that??? Then an awkward silent and an exchange of glare were filling the atmosphere there.

"So you saw it?" Rukia's voice was very low and Ichigo could sense a hint of anger and hate on her tone.

"Yeah, more or less." He said it flatly. He knew that Rukia was probably mad at the fact that he was stalking her. But why couldn't she tell me the truth?! Why is she trying to cover it up?! Is there something between her and Renji?! I can't let that happen, she is MINE!

Ichigo gasped at that last statement that went across his mind. He never had that thought before, but why did it pop up suddenly on his mind right now? But he couldn't lie that his previous rage and fury was based on that thought. Am I… starting to— No! We're just a friend, a very close one!

Rukia saw that Ichigo was lost on his train of thought, so she decided to take that chance to shake her hand off his hand. She didn't know, and actually didn't care what's suddenly coming to his mind. Ichigo was being a jerk and she didn't want to talk to him for a while. She shot one last glare at him before she went to the bathroom, slamming the door behind her. Ichigo snapped out but he couldn't say anything as he was still rumbling with his own thought. Ichigo rubbed his temple and then took a seat on the edge of his bed. What's wrong with me??? Why am I—

"_**Sup, your majesty? Having a trouble with your queen?"**_

His eyes widened but then he closed it tightly after hearing that familiar voice inside his head. It was full of sarcasm and he could see his inner hollow saying it with his infamous smirk on his pale face.

"Shut the fuck up! I don't need your—" when he opened his eyes, he was in his inner world. His inner hollow was standing before him, smirking sarcastically and folded his arms on his chest.

"What the… How am I—"

"Save your trivial question, it doesn't matter." His smirk was getting wider. Ichigo gritted his teeth and clenching his fist with fury; why did he have to appear on the time like this???

"Don't mess with me; I'm not in the mood right now." Ichigo waved his hand to hush him away. But suddenly he laughed so hard and loud, which added more into Ichigo's annoyance.

"What's so funny, you ass-hole!" he hissed under his breath, suppressing his will to slash him because he wasn't simply in the mood right now.

"Yo, your majesty, seems like you have a lovey-dovey problem on you." Again he smirked sarcastically.

"What the…?" Ichigo was flabbergasted with his statement. "Love problem? Don't be ridiculous! Why am I—"

"You want her, no, that's incorrect. You desire her, don't you? That shorty girl with the raven hair?" his smirk couldn't go any wider. Ichigo's jaw gaped, could barely decipher the meaning of his inner hollow's words. He desire… Rukia? That can't be true, right? She's just… she's just my best friend! The harder he tried to deny it, the more it grew stronger on his head.

"What nonsense are you talking about?! Don't act like you know everything about me!" he shouted in annoyance, feeling both distressed and confused at the same time. Is it really true that he wanted her in such a way?

"Don't forget that you and I are one, your majesty. I do know everything that you think or feel." The hollow then sat down and yawned.

"Yeah, so?" Ichigo asked him with a disinterest tone and quirked an eyebrow.

"That means," he took his white Zangetsu and then put it in the front of him. "I do know that you desire her." Ichigo groaned and then pointed his finger at him.

"Don't be such a ridicule, she's my friend and I—"

"Is it always hot in here or is it just my feelings?"

"Huh?"

The hollow didn't answer him; instead he stood up again while carrying his blade and then pointed his index finger at the far north. "Look at that." With a slight disinterest he turned his gaze to the far north and his eyes widened slightly. "What is… that?"

Ichigo saw many crimson, deep crimson clouds were marching and a flame-colored sun there. The sun was burning with such intensity that the heat might burn him if he got close to it. He did not notice this earlier, but this place was indeed burning hot as his sweats had already soaked his black shinigami attire.

"That? That's your current feeling. When you're happy or relieved, the sun's normal and cool breeze is flowing everywhere. When you're distressed, it's rather dark here as the sun disappears completely. When you're mad, angry, or jealous it was like hell here, and that's why Zangetsu and I are always helping you because it's freaking hot in here. When you're sad, it's raining here. It doesn't bother me though, but Zangetsu just the opposite of me. And," he paused a bit and then let out a silent snicker. "When you're so lost in lust and passion, it's like that." Again, he pointed the clouds and the burning sun at the far north.

"What the… Don't give me that crap, I'm not in lust or passion!" he shouted angrily at him. This was starting to get into his nerves.

"Yeah? Let me ask you this. What's on your mind when you saw that girl visibly naked just now, huh?" he put a victory smirk on his face. He gasped with that sudden question.

"I… Uh… I didn't think anything!" he could feel his cheeks were starting to burn.

"Let me warn you again, idiot. You and I are one. You want to be honest or I'll just tell it to you?"

"What are you talking about?! I said—"

"You want to kiss her lips, right?" he smirked evilly. "You always adore her thin and sweet lips, and you want to savor it on your tongue." Ichigo widened his eyes in shock. How could he…

"And you want to taste her neck, because her flesh was so damn soft there."

"Shut up…" Ichigo gritted his teeth, trying to suppress his anger. But his inner hollow was already immune to that kind of menace.

"And her breast, you're always dreaming that one day you would be able to grope them on your palm. Okay, it's not big, but it's sexy in a way, right?" he snickered out loud.

"I said shut up! If you—"

"Oh yeah! And don't forget her sexy ass down there! You—"

"GETSUGA TENSHOU!"

The inner hollow dodged the blast of reiatsu that Ichigo had pointed at him. He had expected this so he had no difficulty to evade that. Ichigo flash-stepped and then appeared on the back of him, swaying Zangetsu recklessly. He had heard enough from him. It's true that he had that in his wildest dream, but he didn't want to do it in the reality. He just… didn't want to hurt her. And when Ichigo thought about this and the fact that he actually ever had a dream of having sex with her, he realized that he did desire her. But he didn't want to admit it, as stubborn as always.

His inner hollow just snickered and laughed while blocking every single attack from Ichigo. "Admit it, Ichigo. It's still not too late to taste her sweet body, you know!" Ichigo, still in self-denial attacked him more recklessly and screamed, "Shut the fuck up! Shut up!" They both parted from the duel and Ichigo was breathing hard while his hollow didn't even have a single bead of sweat. "I'll go for now." He snickered. "Just remember what I've told you, your majesty. Your queen is still waiting for you to touch her." He disappeared with a loud laughter. "SHUT UP! JUST SHUT THE FUCK UP!!!" and then he saw nothing but a total darkness.

He was snapped back from his inner world to the reality when he heard someone turned the knob and then entered his room. He rubbed his eyes using his hands, trying to get rid of that earlier conversation with his inner hollow.

"So you're not sleeping yet, Ichigo."

It was Rukia's voice, but it was deep and flat. Seems like she was still upset with Ichigo's recent attitude to stalk her. Ichigo raised his head to reply her words, but it never came out when he saw her petite figure was wearing nothing but a towel wrapping her body. The warm water was still dripping down from her body and her hair was still wet. His mouth was gaped in amazement. Well, who would not, seeing her like that? He felt that uneasiness feeling started to climb up again to his core. He tried to restrain himself but it was proven very difficult because his inner hollow slowly started to take the control of his sanity away.

"_**Grab her. Taste her."**_

'No! Never!'

"_**This is your chance of a lifetime. Grab her!"**_

'Go away!!!'

"_**Don't you want to taste her?"**_

'I… No! Go away!'

"_**Taste the sweetness that you're always dreaming of?"**_

'I-I don't… R-Rukia… She's…'

"_**Look at her! She is provoking you to touch her. She wants this too!"**_

'Ugh…!'

And there, he was lost. His lust and passion had successfully taken him over. Slowly, he stood up and approached her. Rukia, noticing the weird look that he gave her, felt a sudden uneasiness. His stare was blank but she did notice he had an evil smirk on his face. She frowned, something is off with him, she thought.

"Ichigo, what's wrong? You looked weird."

He didn't answer her; step by step Ichigo was getting closer to her.

"I-Ichigo? Oi! Are you okay?"

She had to step back until she was pinned to the wall behind her. She got nowhere to run. He was so close that Rukia could feel his breathing on her face. And she got flush on her cheeks. His smirk was getting wider and wider.

"W-what are you doing, Ichigo?! T-This is not funny!" she stuttered, feeling a bit afraid of what Ichigo might be going to do to her. Ichigo didn't react; he was just standing there, breathing heavily and unevenly. His eyes were hungry of something; something that he had to fulfill right now.

"I-I-Ichigo! If you do something—Hmph!" her words were cut abruptly when she felt his lips had crushed down at her thin ones. It was rough and wild; his tongue was caressing her lips, trying to get inside of her mouth.

Her eyes widened in shock. She pushed him harshly while shouting a silenced scream. "Hmph!! Hmph!! Hmph!!!" she rebelled against his kiss, refusing to open her mouth. Her hand pushed his toned torso abruptly but it was futile because in physical term he was far more superior. He used his right hand to catch her struggling arms and then pinned them to the wall above her head. She was trapped like an insect on the spider web.

Failed to get an access to her mouth, his lips went down to her neck. He licked it slowly and passionately, trying to savor her delicate flesh there. He kept on brushing her soft white skin there with his hot and wet tongue and his warm breath. Rukia had to suppress a moan. His warm tongue was giving her a strange sensation throughout her body. It was wrong, she knew that, but it felt… good as her body shivered in a pleasurable way. And slowly, his mouth closed and nipped her delicate skin there. This time, she was failed to suppress her moan as a loud one escaped her lips. Her eyes shut in pleasure. She knew she must stop this before he went too far, but the pleasure and all of these strange sensations that she received prevented her from doing so.

"I-Ichigo…" she called his name in between her moan.

He likes that when she said his name in such an erotic way. It was heard like she wanted more and more of this treatment. His free hand instinctively stroked her side and then slowly untied the towel that was covering her body. There was no resistance. Her mind was screaming to stop him, but her body didn't react according properly. The towel dropped off to the floor. Rukia shivered at the chill sensation that her nerves got when the blow from the air conditioner gently stroked her bare skin. And then his hand roughly caressed and squeezed her exposed skin. Rukia yelped when she felt his large and warm palm ghosting her bare skin.

"Hm… Hm…" Ichigo muttered under his breath while still ravishing her neck with his mouth. His right arm was holding her hand up and his left arm was stroking wildly all over her body, feeling the smoothness of her skin. His hand traveled farther and then touched her most intimate part. "Uh…" Rukia moaned at that tickling sensation that she never felt before. Right after he touched her slit down there, a shot of electric bolt was running from there to all over her nerves. Her breathing was starting to become uneven; she could feel something was building up from her core. It went higher and higher and it was only the mater of time before it exploded into something… Something that she didn't even know what. But her heart was pounding faster anxiously, waiting for that moment.

His mouth went lower from her neck, kissing her collarbone, and then down again to her breast. A loud moan was escaped from her lips as Ichigo enveloped his lips on the top of her mound there. Her breathing was becoming faster and faster. And unconsciously, every time she exhaled the air, a small moan was escaping her mouth. With his tongue playing on her mound and his hand playing on her down there, she felt that something was going to explode very soon. Her climax was threatening to come.

"I-Ichigo… St-stop… Pl-Pl-Please stop, I-Ichigo…"

Ichigo, driven by his lust, could not hear her words at that time. So her attempt was pretty much futile. Okay, she had to admit that this wasn't so bad. But, she didn't want to do it this way; she didn't like to be raped like this. Secretly, she had been admiring Ichigo too and also dreamt that sometimes maybe they could do what they're doing right now. But not like this! She slowly came back to her sense and tried to regain her composure. It was quite hard when somebody was licking your breast and playing with your intimate part down there at the same time. When she actually did it, she realized that her feet were free. Slowly she draw her left lag back and then in one shot, swinging it hardly at his groin.

Ichigo gasped and then a realization quickly came to his mind. Her kick was actually quite hard, and the pain had snapped him out from the fog of lust on his brain. When he realized where his position was –groping her slit and mouthing her breast–, his face was burning. He stepped back rashly until he hit the edge of his bed and stumbled to a sit position, facing a very pained girl before him. He couldn't see her expression as her bangs completely covering her eyes. But she could see she was gritting her teeth and her body was quavering violently. His eyes widened after realizing what he had done. Damn that hollow!

"R-R-Rukia! I-I-I'm sorry!!!" he stuttered as he tried to get up and reach her. But Rukia stepped back while holding her towel. "Don't you dare to touch me, Kurosaki Ichigo." Her voice was cold and it was hoarse. Ichigo knew how much it's hurt when your best friend tried to rape you. But that wasn't him! He had to tell her before it was too late.

"Rukia! Listen to me! That wasn't—"

"Shut up you fucking pervert! How could you do that to me!" her tears were threatening to fall from her violet orbs.

"That wasn't me, Rukia! My hollow—"

"I don't need your bullshit! I'm leaving. And don't you dare to show your face at me again!" she quickly grabbed her blanket to cover her body. The reason why she was only wearing a towel when she came to his room was she forgot to bring her spare clothes along with her. That's why she had to 'borrow' Yuzu's clothing and unfortunately she was only borrowing one. That only one was already soaked wet badly, and there's no way she would ever wear it again. So she decided to apologize to Ichigo for her earlier lies and pleaded him to borrow his little sister's attire. But that all went wrong when Ichigo raped her.

"Rukia! Please hear my—" Ichigo grabbed her wrist but she slapped his palm away harshly. "DON'T TOUCH ME!" she shouted at him with her teary eyes. Then quietly she hopped out from his window to only God knows where. Ichigo was still flabbergasted there, feeling a heavy guilty was engulfing him. He gritted his teeth and then laid his head again to his pillow. He felt disgusted with himself. How could he… have done such things to her? His mouth was mumbling before his mind drifted off away to a slumber state.

"Rukia… I'm sorry…"

* * *

There it is, a slight lemony IchiRuki fic… I was planning to create the sequel, but it depends on review… Please kindly review if you had finished reading this one (if anyone actually read this, though). One review could lift my spirits up…


	2. Chapter 2

Urahara Kisuke wasn't a morning person; he always overslept. He never woke early in the morning unless there's some pretty urgent business that he had to do. That's why he let Abarai Renji overslept that day, he couldn't complain about it when he himself always did it everyday. He slid the door closed again after took a peek at his free-loader guest's room and then yawned. The clock on the wall showed it was already 9 AM, time to open his store. He wore his sandal and then lazily opened the front door. The sun was shining brightly and some white clouds were hanging on the light azure sky. Birds were chirping cheerfully and their choir gave him refreshment to his still-sleepy mind. Urahara used a brief moment to inhale a fresh cool air into his lungs.

"What a beautiful day!" he chirped cheerfully to no one in particular and then put his famous green-stripped hat upon his blond crown.

He inhaled the air once again and then came back again to his store to do some preparations before he opened the store. Usually Jinta, Ururu, or Tessai would have done this instead of him, but he couldn't find them everywhere on his store. Maybe they were going to pick some stuff from his supplier. Renji was sleeping, and he dared not to wake him up. He knew Renji was going out last night to somewhere that he didn't know where and then came back again at 3AM, looking tired and soaking wet all over his body. Even though he forced him to wake up now and ordered him to help him did all the preparations, there would be no significant difference either he did it all alone or with him since Renji would likely still sleepy from his late sleep last night. And a sleepy person was no better than a sleeping person, so yeah, Renji was more or less useless right now. So he reluctantly did all the preparations all by himself. After cleaning the dust from his goodies, he checked and picked the expired stuffs up to put them into their appropriate place.

Urahara store had a special warehouse to store expired stuff and poor merchandise on the back of the main building. He hadn't built that storage earlier, but since the day after the 'mod-soul incident' he decided to distinguish the storage between the poor merchandise and a good one.

When he arrived at the warehouse he noticed something was lying down below its front door, covered by a thin layer of fabric. Urahara quirked his eyebrow slightly, he sure that there's something below that fabric but he didn't know what. He put down his stuffs and then pushed it aside. Carefully, he drew out his cane where his Zanpakuto was resting and then slowly approaching that 'thing'. Suddenly it shifted slightly and then stilled again on its position. He stopped on his track, now he knew that this thing was actually a living being. But what the hell was that? A stray cat? A stray dog? A spirit? A hollow? Or maybe Yoruichi tried to surprise the heck out of him? But that last one was unlikely to happen, she wasn't that type of person. He decided to approach it whatsoever, speculations wouldn't get him anywhere. He's an ex-captain afterall, what was he afraid of from those things above? Except Yoruichi of course.

When he was close to that 'thing', he poked it with his cane. No response. He poked it again for a couple of times but he still got no reaction. Curious and bewildered he crouched down and then observing it carefully. The thin layer of fabric that was covering it was familiar to something, but he couldn't remember it. He poked it again, this one with his index finger. It was… soft. His eyes were narrowing in suspicion, and then touched it with his palm. It was… soft and warm. Hey wait! This is—

After a realization came to his mind, he rashly unfolded the fabric with his hands. His eyes were widened in surprise after he saw the actual 'thing' behind it.

"Oh my…"

****

"GOOD MORNING ICHI—Huh?" Kurosaki Isshin stopped in the mid air from his dropkick that was addressed to his only son to wake him up. Ichigo had already woke up??? That never happened before! He fell down with a loud thud and then shrieking out loud, whining about the pain on his back that he just got.

Ichigo was standing on his room, facing the windowpane idly. He already changed his outfit into his school uniform. A sad and guilt expression was painted clearly on his face. That recent event last night with Rukia was still bothering him. Should I come to her and apologize again? But heck, I don't even know where she is right now! He heaved a heavy sigh and then turned his back to scowl at his noisy father below him.

"Shut up, old man! Don't overreact about insignificant pain like that!" Ichigo shrugged and then left him down there, still flabbergasted with his unusual behavior. After Ichigo was nowhere to be seen from his sight and he heard him greeted his younger sisters down there, Isshin smirked and then stood up. He rubbed his temple and then muttering something under his breath.

He put his hands on his pocket and then smiling meaningfully at the clear azure sky above before he got out from Ichigo's room. He climbed down the ladder to join his daughters and son at breakfast. As usual, the breakfast was a disastrous one as Isshin was always constantly pissed Ichigo off. He ended up whining after he got a jab on his chin from his son. Ichigo sighed and then opened the front door. He had a school to attend afterall, and he wished that Rukia would be there so that he could talk to her and explained everything that was exactly happening last night. Rukia might be refusing to believe it right after he explained it to her, but at least he had to try.

They had been a friend for damn too long, and it was very sad if it must be ended like this. They both had created a strong bond between them and he didn't want it to break. Not now or later. He wanted to keep that bond forever, and if it possible, he wanted that bond deepened into something else… Something that tied them closer and stronger to each other, something that would make them needed each other. People would call it love, but Ichigo was just too embarrassed to say that word out from his mouth. It was felt awkward on his tongue as he never said it even once before. So he just avoided that word and replaced it with 'wanted to build something deep and strong'. Instead of saying 'I love you', he'd rather say 'I wanted to build something deep and strong with you'. Poor Ichigo, he was almost cracking his brain up just to think about something like this.

He sped up from his current pace; swiftly turning right and left to reach his school. The school wasn't too far from his house, and he could be there in a blink of an eye if he used flash-step or just jump all the way to the school. But then again, he didn't want to make any commotion on this small city when people saw an orange-haired teenager, wearing a school uniform hopping from roof to roof. So he just stayed ground and walked, or running like an ordinary person did. Less than 10 minutes he arrived at the front gate of the school. She looked at the big clock on its wall, still 15 minutes before the school began. He inhaled deeply and then slowly walked inside to approach his classroom. He hoped that Rukia would be there, on his classroom, smiling innocently on him and greeted him like there's nothing happened last night. Each step he took, he felt that his heartbeat starting to pound louder and faster, groggily wished that his hope would come true.

He rolled the door aside rashly and then turned his eyes to the seat where Rukia used to sit everyday. It was empty. He heaved a heavy sigh in disappointment and then walked slowly to his own seat. He put down his bag and then stared at the vacant seat beside him. His brows felt down, making a worry and sad expression on his façade. Rukia… Where the hell are you…?

Class went so fast and then the bell rung, signing that it was the time for lunch break. Ichigo as usual went to the rooftop to have his lunch with Keigo, Mizuiro, Chad, and Ishida. Ichigo opened the rooftop door and then instinctively shield his eyes from the ray of the bright sun with his palm. It was hot that day, the sun was shining brightly and a few of clouds were marching steadily in the wide azure sea of the sky. Such a clear and nice weather…

Ichigo sat down on one spot and then his friends followed him suit. He heaved a sigh before tore the plastic that wrapped the bread for his lunch. Mizuiro and Keigo as usual were starting to clatter about the girls and Keigo was pretty pissed to know that Mizuiro just had a new girlfriend. On the other hand Ishida and Chad knew that Ichigo wasn't in the mood today. His face showed no spirit, and he munched the bread very slowly. Sometimes he let loose a heavy sigh with his eyes closed.

"Okay, Kurosaki. You can spill it out to us."

Ishida's voice was snapping Ichigo out from his deep thought. He frowned and then wore an uncaring mask on his face which Ishida and Chad clearly didn't buy that. They had known him for too long to be fallen with that puny trick that he tried to do. Ichigo decided it would be the best not to tell the duo about his problems. They were his friends, yes. But he just didn't feel comfortable to talk about this one to them.

"Huh? What do you mean, Ishida?"

"Kurosaki, if you're trying to cover this up, then you've failed. You're still not good enough to hide your problem from us as ever."

"Yeah, right." Ichigo rolled his eyes in annoyance. Having a smart person like Ishida as a friend could be a pain in the ass sometimes, he couldn't hide anything from that 4-eyed genius.

"So…? Mind telling us the problem, Kurosaki? I bet Sado-kun is curious too." he gave Chad a side glance which earned him a nod from him.

Ichigo scratched the back of his head; he really didn't feel to tell them right now. "Sorry, guys… But I really don't understand what you are implying with that question."

Ishida sighed in defeat and then decided to continue his lunch. Having an argument with this strawberry was never really a good thing to do. Ichigo wasn't a person to draw his words back. When Ichigo didn't want to spill it out to them, then so be it. Because no one would ever be able to change his will and determination, even Byakuya couldn't do it. So yeah, Ishida decided to drop it off as he knew that further debate with him would be leading him to nowhere. Chad stared at him for a moment but then decided to drop it too. He had an exact though about Ichigo's stubbornness like Ishida did.

"Hey, Ishida… Have you seen Rukia today?" Ichigo decided to ask them about Rukia's whereabouts. Who knows that they might be seeing her today?

"Nope, I haven't seen Kuchiki-san today. Is there something happening again to her?" Ishida narrowed his eyes carefully, tried to read his expression.

"No, it's nothing. It's just weird that she doesn't show up today, that's all…What about you Chad? Have you seen her today?" he turned his attention to Chad.

"I haven't seen her today." Chad stated it fast and simple. Typical Chad after all…

"Is that so… Where the hell is that midget?" Ichigo forced a frown on his face. He made an annoyed face, but he couldn't hide his guilty feeling on his tone. Ishida noticed that, but he knew that though they forced him to tell them, he wouldn't do it whatsoever. He gave a side glance to Chad and then he nodded.

"It can't be helped after all… If you don't want to tell us, then so be it." Ishida munched his lunch slowly and then closed his eyes. Ichigo shot a dagger glare at him but he couldn't argue anything with him because Ishida was right, he did have a problem. But he just couldn't tell them for now. Maybe later… or maybe never.

Lunch break was over, and then grumbling students were made their way into their respective class. Ichigo sat on his seat again and then stared at the vacant seat beside him again. He really needed to see her right now; he must explain everything to her before it was too late for everything, before he lost her again. Ichigo didn't pay attention to the rest of the classes that day; his mind was already filled up with a certain raven-haired girl. He stared at the board, but his sight was blank. Everything that he wanted to see right now was that girl.

****

Ichigo walked sluggishly away from his school that afternoon. Usually, he always had Rukia walked beside him everyday. She was always annoying, asking this and that, and sometimes a stupid or trivial question. He didn't know why, but he liked the innocent face that she made every time she asked those questions to him. She looked so pure and innocent, despite the fact that her words were often harsh and she had a very short temper. And Ichigo also found it interesting to make fun of her, which most of it was causing her to flush in embarrassment or just simply smacked the hell out of him. He preferred her first action, seeing her flushing was a sight to behold. She was very cute when she had that red tint on her delicate cheeks. Ichigo heaved a heavy sigh and then resumed his walk toward his home.

"Oi, Ichigo!"

Ichigo snapped out from his thought and then his head turned to the direction of the voice, it was from the park where kids used to play there on his left side. When he turned his head around, he immediately recognized the owner of that voice. He quirked an eyebrow and then waved at him.

"Yo, Renji! What are you doing there?"

That was Renji sitting on the swing and carrying a plastic bag on his left hand. He wore casual attire that moment. When he heard Ichigo called him, he stood up and then jogged a bit to approach him.

"Nah, Urahara-san ordered me to buy some foods for the stray cat that he had found this morning. I was kind of tired, so I took my time to sit there for a brief." He pointed the swing where he used to sit there. Ichigo nodded a bit after hearing his explanation. And then Renji patted his shoulder lightly, "What about you, Ichigo? Going home from that boring school?" he smirked slightly.

"Yeah, more or less…" Ichigo scratched the back of his orange hair. "By the way, Renji. Have you seen Rukia around today?"

"Hmm… No. Why? Is there something happening to her?" Renji shook Ichigo's shoulder violently, his face showed a genuine worry and curiosity. "Oi, Ichigo! Answer me! Did—"

"Geez, stop it, Renji!" he shrugged his hands away and then scowled at him, annoyed by both of his action and his care toward Rukia. Wait a minute… What am I annoyed for? Rukia and Renji is a friend, for God's sake! He's just worry about his best friend, that's all! Rukia didn't have any special feeling toward him and vice versa. So, they're just a very good friend. And a very close one. Or perhaps an intimate one? Argh! What am I thinking?! Ichigo must really learn to know a 'jealousy' word.

"She's fine. I just haven't seen here since this morning." He lied.

"Oh… That's good…" Renji heaved a relieved sigh and then put his palm on his chest. "I thought she's getting into some sort of trouble again."

"Yeah, hope she's not. By the way, Renji. I've got to go home now, otherwise my old man would scold me to no end. See you later, Renji!" Ichigo turned around and then ran toward the direction of his house. He gave him a hand wave and then sped up. But suddenly he heard Renji's voice from his back.

"Oh yeah, Ichigo. I've got one thing to tell you."

Strange enough, it was cold and flat. And he could sense a hint of fury and anger on his tone. Curious, Ichigo gave him a side glance to see his face. But his amber eyes widened when he saw Renji was charging toward him with a speed of light and he noticed that he's wearing a red glove on his hand. That hand tried to reach for his neck.

"Renji! What the— Ack!"

He's forced out from his actual body and then hit the wall behind him with a loud crash. Ichigo was already on his shinigami form, so did Renji. His left hand choked his neck and his right hand gripping an already shikai-formed Zabimaru. Ichigo was panting hard; he tried to regain his composure again from his shock.

"RENJI! WHAT THE HELL ARE—"

"Oi, Ginnosuke! Get yourself somewhere safe and don't forget to bring that body beside you." Renji ordered his substitute soul for his faux body to pick Ichigo's body and then turned his glare at Ichigo again. Ichigo was startled when he saw Renji's face was red with fury, anger, and suppressed urge to chop his head off right now. Ichigo didn't understand this. He didn't do anything wrong to him, so why he had to be that pissed off like he had done something very terrible to him? Ichigo could hear Renji's breathing was uneven, he knew that Renji was trying hard to restrain himself from whatever fury and rage that he had. And it was obviously addressed to him. But why?

"Oi, Renji! What—"

"Ichigo, how… How could you do that to her?!"

"W-What? What are you talking about? I—"

Renji tightened his grip on Ichigo's neck; he was close to break it. He gritted his teeth and then narrowing his eyes in disgust. Ichigo tried to shrug his hand away but it was too strong for him. His lungs were suffocating on his chest, begging for some fresh air to fill them. He got to do something, and he needed to do it fast.

"R-Ren… ji… I-I can't—"

"Shut the fuck up, you disgusting filthy human!"

.

Ichigo didn't have any choice; Renji would surely put an end to his life if he didn't do anything to stop him. So he scored a nice punch to his cheek with his right hand. It was actually pretty hard as Renji immediately released his choke on Ichigo's neck and then holding a new bruise on his face with pain. Ichigo used that moment to breathe and cough violently.

"The fuck are you doing, weirdo?! You almost killed me!" Ichigo shouted still with his hoarse voice and then coughed again. Ichigo didn't have any time to respond when he saw the tip of Zabimaru's segment blade charging at him with full speed. He was slammed again to the wall behind him. This time Ichigo coughed again and then spat a blood from his mouth. Okay that's it! I've had enough! If he wanted to fight me that bad, then so be it! Ichigo gripped Zangetsu and then drew it to block Zabimaru's next attack. Ichigo decided not to talk with him until he beat the heck out of him.

After blocking the third attack from Zabimaru, Ichigo flash-stepped to Renji's opening; his back. But Renji wasn't a vice-captain without a reason; he flash-stepped to avoid the slash from Zangetsu and then re-appeared at the sky. Ichigo gave him a Getsuga Tenshou but Renji could avoid it effortlessly and then gave him a set of attacks from Zabimaru again.

The fight was going on for almost 15 minutes, and Renji was starting to feel exhausted because his power and stamina were decreased to 20% from his fullest potential in human world. So yeah, he was more or less like a bug comparing to Ichigo's fullest potential. Ichigo had a power and stamina that could be compared to a captain, so Renji hadn't had any chance to even scratch him on this condition. Renji did realize that but he didn't want to admit it, moreover lose to him. He got to pay what he had done to Rukia and he had already made an oath to his soul to avenge her. His mind traveled to that event in the morning when he just woke up and went to the kitchen to get some fresh water.

*****

When he saw Urahara came in to his store this morning carrying Rukia on his hand with only a thin blanket to cover her body, Renji couldn't suppress his anger and fury that suddenly building up on him rapidly. At first he didn't recognize the petite body that Urahara was carrying. But when he knew that it was Rukia his eyes widened in shock, a shock that he never felt before. His heart ached and his body was hot, burnt with anger and fury.

"RUKIA?! WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED!"

"Now, now, Abarai-san. She has a high fever and might need some rest. You can talk to her later." Then Urahara walked past Renji to bring her into his guest's room. Renji followed him and then prepared the futon and took the basin with cold water and towel inside. After Urahara laid her down and covered her bare body with the blanket, he put the towel at her temple to reduce the fever.

Renji couldn't stop gritting his teeth like a very nervous man when he saw Rukia's face. She was sleeping, but her eyebrows were furrowed and she murmured something like she had a nightmare. Renji knew that something wasn't right with her. All he could remember was he walked her home last night, and he could still hear she rolled the door aside and then jumped in. Then why did she end up like this?!

Renji refused Urahara's offer to leave the room to let the little Kuchiki sleep. He wanted to make sure that she was okay and nothing happened to her again. Though it was pretty clear that Urahara's shop was the safe place but he just couldn't leave her. His crimson orb stared at her face with a grief. Rukia… What the hell happened?

"Where am I…?"

Renji was awakened from his shallow sleep after hearing the hoarse voice beside him and then rashly approached her. He intended to wait until Rukia opened her eyes, but his sleepiness had taken his conscious away. He sat beside her and then he noticed that she just woke up. She had opened her eyes but she was still too weak to get up. Her cheeks were flushed because of the high fever that she got and when Renji put his palm on her temple, her fever still didn't get any better yet. Her eyes stared weakly at him.

"Oh, Renji… Where am I?"

"You're in the Urahara's shop, relax."

He smiled softly and then stroked her hair gently. Rukia just nodded and then tried to get some sleep again. But Renji wasn't the type of a patience person; he wanted to know how she ended like that, and he wanted it now.

"So, Rukia. How did you end up like that? Like a stray cat without a home?"

Rukia lidded up her eyes half-heartedly, her head was still throbbing heavily and she needed to get some rest. "I… Well, I had some kind of fight with Ichigo and—"

"Hey, wait. So, this all was caused by Ichigo?" again he gritted his teeth and then clenched his fist. Rukia could feel his killing intent was radiating from him and this was bad, because every time Renji lost his temper then there would be havoc. To avoid this, Rukia decided that it would be the best if she didn't tell him. Who knows what he would do with Ichigo? Not that she cares that Ichigo would be dying or what, after all Ichigo was stronger than Renji in the human world. But she didn't want Renji to end up hurting himself because Ichigo surely would fight him back and that's bad. When Ichigo fought him seriously on his state –sealed reiatsu– right now, he didn't have a chance to win against him and Ichigo might cause him a severe injury and she didn't want that.

"Err… Well, just drop it, okay? It's nothing serious."

"Nothing serious my ass! Rukia, you were lying down there, trembling, and had a high fever like a dying homeless beggar! So tell me, which part is nothing serious, huh?!"

Rukia still refused to tell him, but since Renji was insisted to know and had made a promise that he wouldn't do anything reckless, Rukia reluctantly told him what had really happened. She told him that Ichigo was mad at her because she left without telling him and then without a warning he sexually harassed her, which she was still wondering why Ichigo could actually do that to her. After Rukia finished making her explanation, Renji was still flabbergasted there. His eyes widened in shock and his mouth was gaped a bit. She frowned and then wavering her hand in the front of his face.

"Renji? Are you—"

"FUCK YOU ICHIGO!!!"

After that loud shout Renji stormed out from her room through the window. Rukia hadn't had any chance to forbid him or anything. She could only hope that Renji wouldn't do anything reckless, he had promised her after all.

*****

CLANK!

A sound of the steel close to his head snapped him out from his train of thought. He gritted his teeth and then charged at him again. Ichigo blocked that away and then countered him. Renji leapt away and then stood at the safe distant from him to catch his breath.

"What's wrong, Renji? Already exhausted, eh?"

Ichigo smirked and then pointed the tip of his blade at him. "Mind telling me now why you put a fight with me?" Renji wiped the sweat away from his temple and then panting lightly. Damn him! If my reiatsu weren't sealed I would easily defeat him!

"Shut up you disgusting creature!" Ichigo frowned after hearing his words. This had been bugging him from the start, why did Renji call him like that?

"Oi, Renji! I don't know what's your problem, but why do you keep calling me 'disgusting?'"

"That's because you're really disgusting!"

"Looks like words aren't getting through you. Okay, I will beat you and then you will tell me everything."

"Like hell that would happen, Ichigo!"

Renji charged at him again. But this time he was reckless, he didn't anticipate that Ichigo would unleash Getsuga Tenshou to counter him instead of dodging his attack. Renji abruptly stopped and then flash-step away to the sky. The reiatsu blast hit the wall but Ichigo was nowhere to be seen. Renji gritted his teeth and then concentrating to track his reiatsu.

"I'm here, Renji!"

Renji turned his back and his eyes widened in surprise when he saw Ichigo was already swaying his blade at him. Shit! He tried to block it but Ichigo's raw power was stronger than him. The slash hit him severely on his right hand. He released his grip on his sword and then landed one-legged. He's panting and then tried to get up. At least that was what he intended of when he felt the cold steel of the blade was already threatening his neck. He looked up and then saw Ichigo with his victory smirk on his face.

"So, Renji. You've lost now. Mind telling me—"

"Fuck you Ichigo! Fuck you!"

"That's enough Renji. I've had enough with your attitude. If there—"

"How could you do that to Rukia?! I used to think that you're her best friend, but I never thought that you want her in that way!"

Ichigo frowned and then a sudden realization hit him. Oh… So he's talking about the even last night. But… How the hell did he know it all? Did Rukia…? Oh yes, that must be it. Rukia must be reporting his action to him, and then he tried to act tough like a hero to her. Heck, you're indeed the pathetic one to get her, because I am the one who will get her. SHE IS MINE!

The last statement was really heard wrong, but Ichigo couldn't deny it. Here, kneeling before him, the man who tried to take her away. His inner smirked after seeing him bleeding and helpless. I've won! Rukia soon would be mine, only mine! After I get rid of him then nothing would ever be in my way! Ichigo was really consumed by his own jealousy that he couldn't control his feeling. Heck, this was the first time he ever loved someone and also the first time he felt the jealousy.

Renji's eyes were widened in shock when he saw Ichigo's smirk was widening and his eyes were looked… wicked? He felt his reiatsu leaking away evilly from him, ready to consume his life away. And then Ichigo opened his mouth to speak.

"Renji, do you know what would happen to your neck if I blast Getsuga Tenshou at the point blank to it like this?"

His smirk went wider and then snickered loudly as his blade was starting to shine brightly. Renji was shocked; he was feared. He never felt this before; even when he was beaten by Byakuya he didn't afraid of death back then. But this time it was really different. His wicked smirk, his sadistic expression on his face, and the fact that Ichigo would end up his life, he really couldn't stand it; the fear of being slain by a maniac.

"Good bye, Renji! Remember this in your after life; no one could ever take Rukia away from me!"

And then Renji closed his eyes and wait… and wait… and wait… but nothing really happened. He opened his eyes and saw that a petite figure was parrying Zangetsu away from his neck. Ichigo looked pretty shocked and then he backed away.

He felt that someone was helping him to stand up and then supported him to get away from there. He couldn't concentrate or say anything anymore; his consciousness was starting to give him away.

"R-Rukia?" Ichigo stuttered after seeing her parrying his blade. And when he saw Renji down there, bleeding, his senses were coming back again to him and the realization hit him as the fog of jealousy started to disperse away from his mind. What the hell did I do??? I almost killed Renji!!! Fuck me! What the hell's wrong with me???

Rukia glared at him viciously. She was panting and she still had that fever, but she was worried about Renji when he stormed out from her room like that. So she left Urahara's store, ignoring Urahara's words about her health, and then searched Renji by tracking his reiatsu. When she finally arrived at her position, her wide violet eyes were widened in shock as she saw Ichigo was about to behead him. So she flash-stepped in the front of him and parry his sword away. She couldn't believe it; why did Ichigo try to kill Renji? This ignited an anger and hate on her.

"R-Rukia? Are you—"

"Don't talk again, Kurosaki." Her voice was flat and cold.

Then Rukia went away from him while supporting Renji to walk. Ichigo was really regretting his action; he really didn't mean to kill him!

"Rukia, listen to me! I'm sorry!" Ichigo shouted at her. Rukia stopped on her track for a while and then she gave him a side glance; her eyes were narrowed in hate and disgust. Ichigo was shocked and he felt his heart ached when he heard her last words before she faded into the darkness.

"I'll never forgive you. I hate you."

* * *

There it is, the 2nd chapter. Sorry, it has no IchiRuki moment yet. Thank to those who have reviewed and came by, I really appreciate that. Please read again and let me know what do you think. Thanks! Chapter 3 will come, but i dont now when. There will be an IchiRuki moment on the third one, so stay tune!


	3. Chapter 3

"Fuck this place! It never rained like this before!"

A pale figure with a white kimono ran between buildings to search for a shelter from this heavy rain. The clouds were so dark and the sun was nowhere to be seen. His yellow orbs scanned his left and right but still found nothing that suited as his shelter because not all of these buildings had a door on it. His kimono and his hair were already soaked off with rain, and he had to wipe the rain away from his eyes to clearly see the road ahead of him.

"Right here."

He turned his head to the left side to see a tall man with all-black attire and sunglasses waving at him from under the building with a door. He smirked and then muttered 'finally' quietly. He sped up to reach it and then came into the building with that tall man.

"The fuck is happening? This rain is so fucking heavy!" he found a place to sit down and then started to remove his white kimono from him while grumbling something.

"He is… in a deep anguish right now…" The tall man sat down too and then tried to make a camp fire with a little reiatsu blast. He had a genuine worry painted on his face.

"Khe… Never knew that he's such a big baby." he smirked again and then stroked his all-wet spiky hair up. "I thought he's a tough guy. Or is it just an act?"

"It's not that… This matter is entirely different." The tall man finally succeeded to create a fire and then tried to warm his body with it. Outside the rain was still falling heavy and only God knows when it would stop.

"Yea? You mean that shorty girl that has turned him down?" he approached the fire and then felt a soothing warm was starting to crawl on his nerves. He heaved a relief sigh and then smirked again. "Why didn't he just grab her like he did back then?"

"That's because he's under your control back then. And it was also you behind his attempt to kill his friend." He shot a glare at the pale figure in the front of him. The dancing fire was flickering on his sunglasses.

"Hey! I'm just helping him, that's all." He quirked an eyebrow and his smirk went wider. "Anyway, let's hope he'd find a way out from whatever the problem he has. I don't want to spend the rest of my lifetime in this cursed place like this!"

"Yeah… I wish he find it soon, assuming you won't get in his way again." he shot one last dagger glare at him before stared at the black sky above.

"We'll see about that…" he stared at the sky too, with a quiet snicker escaped from his pale lips.

*****

"Kurosaki! Oi, Kurosaki!"

Ichigo gasped and then lifted his face to see Ishida was grabbing his shoulder and shook it lightly. Chad, Keigo, and Mizuiro were standing beside him with worry on their face. Ichigo shrugged Ishida's hands lightly and then stood up.

"Uhm… Sorry. What is it, Ishida?" he scratched the back of his hair sheepishly.

Ishida heaved a heavy sigh and then pushed his glasses up from his nose with his fingers.

"Kurosaki… You've been spacing out again… The break's already over, we have to get to the class now."

"Oh yeah… Right." Ichigo was a little flabbergasted there. He didn't know how long he had been spacing out. All that he could remember was, they're taking their break at the rooftop as usual and then he sat down. After that, his mind didn't stay focus any longer at his lunch. Instead, it traveled back to the event last night when a certain raven-haired girl shot a disgust glare at him and said those 3 words. Three words that made his heart ached very badly. The moment she said it he felt like a thunder was called upon from heavens, striking through his heart.

"Let's go guys…" Ichigo then turned his back and then walked toward the door. Keigo and Mizuiro were following him, but Ishida and Chad stayed still for a brief moment. Ishida gave Chad a side glance and then nodded. Chad, understanding what he's saying even without a word, nodded too before he started to walk following him.

*****

'_**I hate you'**_

_Damn those words! Why is it bugging me like these! I can't get those words out of my head!_

'_**I hate you!'**_

_Did she really mean that when she said that? God please, tell me that it's not true! I lo— I like her! I can't stand to live with her hating me!_

'_**I hate you!!'**_

_Urgh… My chest… What is this pressuring sensation…? It's heavy… My heart…_

"Kurosaki, this is the 7th time you're zoning out this day."

Ichigo jumped a little when he heard that voice beside him. He abruptly turned his head to find Ishida and Chad were walking beside him. He frowned and then turned his head away from them again.

"What are you doing, Ishida, Chad? This isn't your way home! This is my way home!"

"Yeah, we know that. That's why we're going this way." Ishida fixed his glasses position and then walked again nonchalantly. Chad just nodded after giving Ichigo a side glance. Ichigo's frown was getting deeper and then he turned his head to them once again.

"What do you mean? You guys are going to my house?"

"Exactly, Kurosaki."

"Wait, wait!"

Ichigo stopped abruptly and then stood in the front of them, hands on hips and scowl on his face. "What are—"

"Ichigo, we already know that you have a problem." Chad said it flatly. Ichigo's scowl was deepened and then he turned his back again. "Like hell I have! I—"

"Yeah, yeah… You can say that, Kurosaki. We're going to your house, like it or not." Ishida walked ahead of him and then Chad followed him, ignoring him completely. Ichigo was still flabbergasted there, his eyebrow twitched and his mouth gaped. He was about to throw them a tantrum but he decided to save it. He didn't want to admit it, but he really did need someone to talk about his problem. Inoue and Tatsuki were just impossible because they're girls. Inoue would hate him for doing such thing to Rukia and Tatsuki would surely put a nice kick to his chin. He was planning to talk with Renji, but that was more than impossible now. His father would be just talking nonsense and his sisters were too young. So yeah, that left Ishida and Chad. Guess talking to them isn't a bad idea at all, he thought. After heaving a sigh, he walked again while scratching the back of his hair.

*****

Rukia heaved a sigh while staring at the crimson sky above from Renji's room in Urahara's shop. She closed her eyes for a brief moment, trying to relax from all of the problems that she had.

'_I hate him, right? But why does the other side of me don't want to hate him? Strange enough, it told me to forgive him! I… I want to hate him completely but I can't… I just can't…'_

She gave her temple a light massage because this entire Ichigo problem was starting to give her a migraine. Her eyelids were opened again and then the wide violet orbs shot a blank stare at the setting sun that slowly sunk away to the bottom horizontal edge of the sky.

A gentle breeze flew through the window pane ghosting her face and stroking her hair gently. She liked the way the breeze comforting her when it touched and stroked her, the cool sensation made her relaxed and relieved. Somehow, she wished that the breeze could bring her hassle away, out from his mind. And also carried this strange feeling on her chest everytime she thought about him; the feeling of discomfort and guilt when she said those words to him. She closed her eyes for the second time, remembering the past even last night.

'_**I hate you.'**_

Right after those words were echoing again on her head, that strange feeling was surfacing again on her heart. She couldn't describe it, but somehow she knew that it was a guilty feeling. Her eyebrows were knitted together and then she shook her head lightly.

'_I do hate him! He was sexually harassing me! Stop feeling guilty about that, Rukia! He deserves it!'_

Rukia felt the temperature was decreasing significantly when a white, beautiful lady appeared in the middle of her black and blank subconscious mind. She wore a pure white kimono with a long white sleeve. Her hair and lips were light-violet, while her eyes was deep violet like Rukia had. She smiled gently and warmly before she began to talk to her.

'_**Rukia, you don't hate him… You love him, don't you?'**_

Rukia gasped and her violet eyes were slightly widened. That was the exact word that she never wanted to use for expressing her feeling toward Ichigo. She was just too modest (or was it shy?) to admit it.

'_I… I don't love him! Stop talking nonsense, Sode No Shirayuki!'_

'_**Rukia… Stop denying your own feeling… You would feel much better if you admitted it…' **_Shirayuki frowned and then folded her hand on her chest.

'_I… O-Okay! I used to l-love him, but that was before he did that to me!' _she found it futile to lie to her, as she was always the one who knew her the best. After all Shirayuki was also a part from her mind and soul.

'_**Did it really change? Your love to him?' **_she quirked an eyebrow and had a sly smile on her beautiful face.

'_No. I-I-I mean yes! O-Of course it—' _Rukia gasped and then stuttered a bit after she let those words slipped off her tongue. Damn her! Rukia had to suppress her curse in the front of Shirayuki; she was older than her after all. Her mind was struggling hard to deny this feeling, but Shirayuki just knew how to push her button.

'_**See? You're denying yourself. And that's not good, Rukia my dear…'**_a soft chuckle escaped from her lips.

'_W-Well, maybe not totally, but it did change!' _she blushed hard and Shirayuki was just smiling. Then she approached Rukia and bent down a little to stroke her silky raven hair.

'_**Rukia, listen to me. Don't do the things your flesh wants to do, but do the things your heart wants to do.' **_Shirayuki put her palm on her chest to emphasize her words and then she smiled warmly at her.

'…' Rukia didn't say anything; she looked down and averted her eyes to the side. She had to admit that her Zanpakuto had a point there. Her mind was screaming to hate him and never meet him again, but her heart believed that the event last night wasn't entirely his fault and pleading her to give him a chance.

'_**I'll leave you for now… You can call me again if you need someone to talk…" **_then Shirayuki disappeared from her sight and everything went back to black again.

"R-Rukia…?"

A voice from her back snapped her out from her subconscious state. She abruptly opened her eyes and then turned around. Her eyes slightly widened and then she heaved a quiet relieved sigh when she saw the lying person in the middle of the room had opened his eyes. It was weak, but at least he had regained his consciousness.

"So, you've wake up. Good to know you haven't dead yet." Rukia said it coldly and viciously; she was still mad at him for being reckless and almost ended up losing his life last night.

"Y-Yeah, more or less…" Renji tried to sat up but failed miserably when his hand couldn't frame his figure and he fell back again to the futon. He groaned a little, feeling a sudden bolt of pain striking his nerves on his right hand when he tried to get up. He lifted it and took a peek at the bandage that wrapped his hand. Oh yeah, it was severely wounded… Renji's eyes shifted from his hand to give the petite figure beside him a side glance. He could sense her anger on her tone and he knew that Rukia must be mad at him for breaking his own promise to her.

"Err… Rukia?" Renji turned his head aside to see Rukia had turned her back again at him and stared at the marching cloud up there. Rukia didn't answer him; instead she just gave him a side glare.

"Rukia, I'm sorry about yesterday… I know—"

"What do you know?! You know nothing!" she abruptly turned to face him with a deep scowl on her face. Renji blinked a couple times before he spoke again.

"Rukia, please understand my feeling, I—"

"Yeah? What feeling? The protective one? Or what? For God sake, Renji! I could take care of my own problems, I'm not that weak!" she shouted at him with a high pinch tone and Renji had to gulp down before he opened his mouth again to speak.

"That's not it! I—"

"Then what, huh?! You almost ended up losing your life in the hand of that bastard! What were you thinking, Renji! You almost died because of my problems! Hell, have you ever been thinking at all?!"

"I don't care!!! I don't give a shit about my life if it means—" Renji was starting to lose his short temper. Why did she have to be harsh and throwing a tantrum at me like that?! Can't she just understand that I care for her?! That I love—

"What?! You want to say that you're willing to die for my sake?!" Rukia stood up and shot a dagger glare at him. Her face was flushed in anger and her breath was becoming uneven as she tried her best not to lose control and smack him.

"YES, I AM! SO WHAT?!" Renji screamed from the top of his lungs. He ignored the pain that he felt when he abruptly got up and then shot a dagger glare at her.

"So what, you said? SO WHAT? Are you crazy or what?! Your life is worth more than that, dumbass! You don't have—"

"Because I love you, Rukia! Goddamn it, I really love you!"

Rukia was taken aback with that, her eyes were widened and her mouth was widely ajar. Whatever the words or curses that she intended to say, all was stopped by that last statement. He loves… me? As in, romantic? She felt a sudden uneasiness on her chest the moment she heard those words came out from his lips. It's not ached or what, it's just a kind of strange feeling that she never had before. Meanwhile for Renji, he had to curse himself for letting those words slipped off from his tongue. But what done is done, and he had to face the consequence, whatever it might be.

"What… What did you say? You… You lo—" Rukia finally managed to close her jaw after a brief moment of shock and then reopened it again to speak. But Renji cut her words abruptly.

"Yes, I love you, Rukia. Long since before we even had entered the shinigami academy." Then Renji turned his back at her and walked toward the door, leaving the little Kuchiki flabbergasted there. He squeezed his eyes tightly and gritted his teeth. His heart was pounding loud, this was obviously not a situation for confession that he ever thought of.

"Now you know why I'll do anything for you. Because you're worth more than just a friend to me, Rukia." He said it before he rolled aside the door and then walked out from that room. He didn't give a care to look at her; he knew she would hate him now that she had known the truth. But that was the consequence that he had to face, a one-sided love story was never ended happy anyway.

Rukia was still standing there, in the middle of that room. She could still barely believe what she just had heard. He…? No! That's… That's impossible… She put her palm on her temple and massaged it lightly while heading out to the door and then rolled it aside. She expected to see Renji outside and then talked about all of this over, bus he was nowhere to be found. She heaved a sigh and then headed to her own room, she needed to lay down her head; her migraine was starting to give her away. First Ichigo, now Renji. Who's next? Byakuya-nii-sama? What the hell is happening in this world?! She strolled to her room and then shut the door behind her tight before she laid down to the futon below. She stared at the blank ceiling for a brief moment above her before closing her wide eyes. Not long after, the sleepiness had taken her over and carried her to the slumber state.

*****

"Wow really, Kurosaki?"

Ishida was the type of a person who wouldn't easily get surprised of something. No matter how tough the circumstance he was getting in, he'd always think outside the box and he would get the solution soon with a cool manner. So when his usually-narrowed eyes were getting widen and his jaw dropped down, whatever the circumstance that he was in right now was so exceedingly extraordinary.

"Yeah… Oh c'mon Ishida! You don't have to put a stupid face like that!" Ichigo scowled at him.

"Well… "Ishida tried to regain his composure again from his shocked state and then he lifted his glasses from his nose with his middle and index fingers.

"Then what Kuchiki-san said to you?" Chad finally opened his mouth after listening to Ichigo's whole story about the 'little' incident with Rukia. He was shocked too, but unlike Ishida he only arched his eyebrow a little and then nodded. Ichigo shrugged and scratched the back of his hair.

"She… She said to never meet her again… Damn… Guess she hates me now…" Ichigo made a distressed look on his face. Ishida and Chad exchanged look for a brief moment and then Ishida cleared his throat.

"Kurosaki… Was it really you back then?"

"Huh…? What do you mean?" Ichigo lifted his face again and then quirked his eyebrow in confuse.

"I mean, were you fully conscious when you did that?" Ishida took one sip of the tea that Ichigo had served it for him and Chad.

"Oh… Well… Now that I think about it, it's just like having one of my wildest dreams. I… I know that her soft skin on my hand was too real for a dream; but my mind kept telling me to go on and do everything that I want. That's why I didn't stop and didn't afraid to hurt her, because I thought that it was just a dream. So yeah, that's the result." Ichigo lifted his hand and then stared at the palm that he used to ghost all over her bare skin last night. It was just… too real. Yeah, right, Ichigo… That was real!

"Hmm… So to put it simple, you weren't really aware that you're harassing her?" Ishida put down his cup.

"Yeah… I guess…" Ichigo clenched his fist and then putted it down again.

"And now you want to say sorry to her?" Ishida was starting to catch something behind all of these pieces that were starting to form out something that could explain Ichigo's strange attitude lately.

"Yes…"

"Then have you tried?"

"I… Yes, twice. But she said that she… she… she'd never forgive me and she hated me…" Ichigo dropped his head low and gritted his teeth; it was still hurting his heart like hell every time he remembered her saying that line.

"Oh… That's understandable after what you had done to her." Ishida closed his eyes and then folded his hands on his chest. This was getting clearer, and he'd just need one final prove to manifest his theory.

"Yeah… But… But I don't want to lose her again! I would do anything to make her forgive me! I would do anything to make her stay by my side forever!" Ichigo clenched his fist and he was so determined to get her back. Ishida opened his eyes again and then smirking. Ichigo didn't realize he had slipped off that final words from his tongue but unfortunately, Ishida noticed that. Finally, he had unlocked the last missing piece of his puzzle.

"So, Kurosaki… You're… You're in love with Kuchiki-san, correct?"

"Yeah… NO! WAIT! I MEAN, HELL NO!" Ichigo scowled at Ishida but he failed to mask his flushing cheeks. He was like a little kid trying to hide his lovey-dovey problems from his friends. Ishida just snickered at him that added much to Ichigo's annoyance.

"What the hell's so damn funny, Ishida?!"

"Ichigo, you don't need to hide that feeling. It's not an embarrassing thing to fall in love." Chad spoke and it was actually surprising for both Ichigo and Ishida as Chad was exceedingly rare to say something like that.

"Yeah, Kurosaki. Just like Sado-kun said, it's not something to hide of." Ishida smirked at him and then arched his eyebrow cockily.

"I'm not hiding anything!" Ichigo said it with rage and fury; he was extremely felt offended with his statement. Stubborn Ichigo he still didn't want to admit his own feeling. Ishida laughed so hard and Chad finally let out a silent laugh which earned more of red tint on Ichigo's cheeks.

"I SAID WHAT THE HELL IS SO DAMN FUNNY!" Ichigo shouted at both of them. Ishida finally regained his composure from his laughter and pushed his glasses up with his usual manner and then looked at him again, this time with a serious expression on his eyes.

"It is you, Kurosaki. You're so funny that I and Sado-kun couldn't help it but laughed. Kurosaki, we're already 17 here and it's not the time to hide your own feeling like that anymore. Geez, you're still acting like a 13 years old teenager who just got his first crush." Ishida narrowing his eyes slightly and Ichigo was taken aback with his words.

"I… Well… I… I don't love her. I mean, I don't love her in a romantic way. As a friend, yes. But not more than that." Ichigo was very close to admit his true feeling. But then again his stubbornness had blocked his tongue from saying so. Ishida and Chad didn't say anything. Instead, they were narrowing their eyes and then staring at him with such intensity. "Wh-What? I told you the truth!"

They still didn't say anything and Ichigo was well aware that they're pretty pissed with his stubbornness. Realizing that it would be pointless to argue about it all over again, he heaved a defeated sigh and then scratched the back of his bright natural-orange hair.

"Okay guys, you've won… I admit that… I've been falling for her." After he said that, the strong pressure that he had been feeling on his chest since Ishida cornered him finally lifted up and gone for a certain reason that he didn't know. He was suffocating and could barely breathe because of that pressure. But now when it had been lifted up he felt much better, and somehow felt relieved. Strange enough, even for himself, he didn't feel ashamed or embarrassed. Usually he would feel that way and the heat would creep to his face that made it flushed. But not this time, he was just simply feeling relieved… Maybe that's because he said it from the deepest of his heart he didn't know. Ishida smirked and Chad only gave him a nod while mumbling 'finally' under his breath.

"That's much better, Kurosaki. But, I'm still not satisfied enough." Ichigo's orange-haired eyebrow arched up in anticipation. "What the hell does that mean, Ishida?"

"You haven't answered my question yet. Do you love her?" Ishida's grin went wider and his eyes were narrowing in amusement. It was an exceedingly rare event for Ichigo to fall in love and he'd more than happy to make fun of it. Meanwhile for Ichigo he had a confused look on his face. "What the hell, Ishida? Haven't I told you that I—"

"I didn't ask you whether you've been falling for her or not. I asked you whether you love him or not, Kurosaki. So, do you love her or not?" Ichigo had to suppress his loudest shout that he would have released as it would make a quite ruckus to his neighborhood and especially, his own father. He had been avoiding using that word to express his feeling toward Rukia. It was love, yes. But he was just feeling awkward to say that word. Love.

"Yes, I do."

"What?"

"Huh?"

"You do what?"

"I l-lo-lo… Ugh… I l-l-love her. Satisfied?!"

"Whom?"

"Huh?"

"Whom do you love?"

Ichigo groaned in exasperation, this was starting to get to his nerves. Why did he have to be this annoying, that 4-eyed pervert! Ichigo knew that nickname after Renji told him the event with Mayuri and Nemu at Hueco Mundo back then. But Ichigo had to suppress his urge to call him that, as the last time he had actually done that Ishida rained him down with his countless arrows. Ichigo turned his gaze to Chad to search some help but he was just simply smiling. Damn those two!

"Rukia, of course! Who else?!"

"Then say it already."

"Huh?"

"Say it, 'I love Rukia', it isn't that hard. Or is it actually too hard for our mighty shinigami that knows nothing of the word 'fear'?" Ishida's smirk had completely gone to a sly grin on his face; he was enjoying this moment for a little bit too much. Ichigo gritted his teeth and then narrowing his eyes in anger. Oh how he wanted to smack his face right here, right now. And as a man as he was, he wouldn't accept any insult regarding his bravery.

"I l-love R-Rukia." He stuttered a bit and Ishida still hadn't satisfied yet with that.

"You're stuttering, Kurosaki… It's fine if you—"

"I love Rukia! I love you, Rukia! Oh goddamn it I really love her so much!"

He screamed from the top of his lungs and it was loud enough that he was pretty sure that his sisters and his father could hear him from the first floor. Oh how his father would make fun of him with his endless shit for saying those words. And what about his class-mates heard him saying that line?! And Ishida was more than guilty if that was actually happening later. But that supposedly-guilty person was just smirking and pushing his glasses slightly up, as if nothing had just happened. Ichigo was panting and then clearing his throat.

"There, you said it. It's not that hard, now is it?"

"Screw you, Ishida!" Ichigo slumped back again to his chair and then took a brief moment to gulp a big fresh air into his lungs.

"Now that you have finally admitted that, we can move on to the next phase."

"Hold on a second, what phase?" Ichigo was narrowing his eyes in suspicion and anticipation. Ishida heaved a frustrated sigh and then gave Chad a side glance. Chad just nodded and then he spoke to the strawberry in the front of him.

"We will help you getting her back, Ichigo."

"Wait, what?" Ichigo stood up from his chair and then scowled at them. "I can take care of my own problem! I don't need—"

"We will help you, Kurosaki, end of discussion. Trust me, three persons was much better than one."

"But—"

"Ichigo, just trust us."

Ichigo heaved a defeated sigh. Again, his friends had won that day for the second time. He indeed needed help for his trouble, but he's just too modest and dignified to ask them. He didn't want to say it, but he admitted that he was very lucky to have friends like them.

"Okay, if you're really sure that you two can actually help me to solve this weird problem…" Ishida smiled and Chad just heaved a relieved sigh.

"Okay, Kurosaki, firstly…" then they had an all night long discussing their strategy of how to get Ichigo forgiven by Rukia. They had actually finished after 3 hours of tiring and somehow amusing discussion. Ishida and Chad then went home and Ichigo slumped back to his bed and put his hands below his head.

'Hope this all would work…' Ichigo said it on his mind before he drifted over to the slumber state

*****

On their way home

Ishida was flipping his phone open and then snickering to himself. Chad quirked his eyebrow slightly, feeling confused of Ishida's sudden cheery mood.

"Ishida, why are you snickering like that? Is there something funny?"

"Yes, Sado-kun. Actually there is something really funny." He snickered again and Chad was getting more confused with his sudden strange behavior.

"Ishida, what's so funny?"

"Here, listen." Ishida pushed something on his cell phone and then handed it over to Chad. Chad didn't say anything and then put it on his ear. His eyes widened in surprise but somehow amused when he heard the sound from the speaker.

"_**I love Rukia! I love you, Rukia! Oh goddamn it I really love her so much!"**_

"Ishida… You… You're recording it? For what?" Chad handed it to Ishida again. Ishida smirked while putting his phone back to his pocket.

"Well, Sado-kun… This is my trump card. He won't brave to do anything stupid to me now that I've his most embarrassing moment." Ishida lifted his glasses up with a victory expression painted all over his face in a form of a wide smirk on his lips. Chad was startled, he could barely understand the way of his cunning and genius thought.

"You're the worst, Ishida…"

"Hey, he's a shinigami after all. Kurosaki Ichigo is my friend, but shinigami is still my enemy."

Chad heaved a deep sigh before walking again toward his house. Ishida smirked for the last time and then he started to move forward again.

"By the way, Ishida…"

"Hmm?"

"Can you copy it to me?"

"… You're the worst, Sado-kun…"

*****

There the 3rd chapter. Sorry for the long time to update and also for a non-IchiRuki moment. I've promised that, but I felt that I must firstly adjust their feeling toward each other. 4th chapter maybe will come soon, and this time it will have much IchiRuki moments on it. Sorry, once again! Please read and review again!


	4. Chapter 4

It was just like another wake up; got out from the total darkness on your subconscious mind, abruptly getting stopped from your dream; be it good or bad, and then you slightly gasped for no reason at all. It's a good thing that I hadn't had anything to dream, because I didn't like to dream for a certain reason that I couldn't tell. Once my brain had registered that I was fully awake, my eyes reflexively lifted up. But then my hands moved by itself to cover my eyes and I had to squeeze it slightly as a dazzling ray of the sun viciously struck into my sight.

"What the hell… Is this morning already…?" I mumbled silently and asking a ridiculously obvious question to no one in particular. I didn't sense any presence here, but I knew I wasn't alone here. Well, at least until last night before I closed my eyes to sleep. I let out a small groan when I moved my arms and stretched it as high as I can above my spiky hair. Then I wiped the sleepy tears away from my eyes and got up. I looked at my surrounding. It was an old, rusty, and unique building. It was painted white and looked clean, but only a fool couldn't tell that this place obviously had been there for too long as the white painting had peeled off at many places.

My eyes slightly shifted to the ground below. The remains of the camp fire were still there, only it was flame-less and someone had just shut it as the smoke was still there. My feet felt a little cold, so I decided to stroll outside from this building. The heat ray of the morning sun must be soothing the chilling problems on my feet and spine after the heavy rain last night. Come to think of it, I hadn't noticed that the rain had stopped and the sun was shining brightly again until now.

And I just realized that I was topless when I felt a sudden warm sensation on my bare chest skin. I looked down again and found my kimono was there, beside my 'bed'. I bent down and then picked it up. The fabric was still wet and I knew that no way I would wear it before I dried it up unless I wanted to catch a cold. Lucky enough the sun was shining today; otherwise I'd have a whole day topless like this. I hanged the kimono near the windowpane of that building; the heat from the sun would be enough to dry it up in no time.

I yawned for the last time before I stepped outside the building and then watched the sun carefully. It was bright, but something still wasn't quite right with that sun. There was still a dark color engulfing the sun, consuming almost half of it size. I quirked an eyebrow slightly, this was never happening before. But what the hell, that wasn't my business at all.

"Quite strange, isn't it?"

My orbs shifted from the weird sun at the far north to the figure up there from another building. Sitting and watching with a blank stare, what an infuriating sight to behold. Why he was acting like this all was his problem? Not that I care, but this was just getting to my nerves and infuriated me. Well, being a caring-to-everything person wasn't my style after all. I flash-stepped next to him, sat down, and then heaved a sigh. He didn't bother to give me any attention by turning his head, but he actually did give me an inquiring side glance.

"Tell me, old man. Do you have any idea about that?" I pointed my index finger at the black sun on my line of sight.

"The dark curtain that was engulfing him yesterday is starting to peel away, that's all I know."

"Oh, really?" I smirked and then lied down and circled my arms around my head. I blankly stared at the dark clouds above. My eyebrow arched slightly when I realized what I just had seen. Okay, this was weird. When a sun finally showed up, there should be no way the dark clouds were still showing up like this.

At the far north, there were no signs of black clouds there; only a half-black sun hanging on the azure canvas. But at the opposite direction, the canvas was all black with much, much dark cumulus marching. There was a sign of another rain threatening to come from them. Damn cry-baby.

"His problem isn't totally enlightened yet. It's up to him to make this place clear again or rain forever."

As if he could read my mind, he answered all of the questions about this matter on my head. My smirk went wider as I closed my yellow orbs.

"We'll see about that…"

*****

She stepped out from the medium-sized bath-tub and then reached out the white towel hanging on the door. But instead of drying up her body from the cold water right away, she stared blankly at the mirror near the bath-tub. She cleansed the dewed mirror with her palm and then stared at the figure in the front of her. She saw a girl, a petite girl to be exact, holding a white towel idly there staring back at her.

The girl on the mirror was wearing an all-is-fine façade, but she knew it a little bit too well that deep inside she was struggling hard. She frowned and then put her palm on the mirror. The girl was actually doing the same as she lifted her hand and put her palm on it too.

"I… Uh…"

She heaved a sigh and then decided it was ridiculous to talk with her own reflection. She wanted so bad to scream out loud, releasing all of these heavy pressures on her chest. The pressure of being guilt to tell Ichigo that she hated him, pressure of being guilt to not understand Renji's feeling toward her, and the pressure of being afraid to disappoint Renji when she told him she's not feeling the same way. Renji was her best friend, and would always be. She just couldn't consider him more than that, let alone lover.

Aside from those pressures that she felt on her chest, she also felt a gap on her heart. It was wide and longing for something; Kurosaki Ichigo. She had to admit that she missed him. She missed his scowl, missed his orange hair, missed his smile, missed his laugh, missed his stupid and stubborn attitude, and utterly, missed the warmness of being close to him.

"Ichigo…"

She mumbled quietly under her breath and then shook her head lightly. The pain of being sexually harassed on his heart was the only thing that preventing her from running into him and smacked the heck out of him again. She never ever told Ichigo that she missed him; instead she just gave him a nice uppercut on his jaw or a nice kick on his shins when he appeared again. Well, maybe that was the style of a tomboy girl like her to show her honest feelings.

She sighed again for the 2nd time before dressing herself again in school uniform attire. Being in an Urahara store for 3 days and doing nothing were actually boring for her, so she decided to go to the school again. Well maybe having a lunch with Orihime and her friends would light her heart up; she really needed to do something to hush the orange-haired shinigami away from her mind.

After tying the red ribbon below her white collar shirt and adjusting it on the mirror, she grabbed the white towel and then opened the door.

"You're surely awfully long when it comes to bath, Rukia."

She abruptly turned her head aside to see Renji was leaning against the wall beside her and he had a smirk on his face. He was wearing his white with pink-floral pattern sleeping yukata and carrying his bathing equipment on his hands.

"Hey, I'm still a girl after all. All normal girls need at least an hour when it comes to bath."

She shot him a playfully dagger glare which earned her a wider smirk from him. For this brief moment, she was like forgetting all of the pressures that she felt on her chest. Renji was always really there when she needed someone to light her day up.

"Oh really? Then you're not one of them because you've spent one and half an hour there. And by the way, are you really a girl at all? Because I really doubt about that with all of your—Ouch!"

A nice kick on his shins stopped him from saying further mockery toward her. He dropped his soaps, shampoo, and toothbrush instantly when his nerves registered the pain on that area. He glared at her while trying to sooth the pain that he felt. Rukia just chuckled after being successfully returned all of that mockery to him.

"Little brat…"

Renji mumbled before bent down a little to gather his bathing equipment that had scattered on the floor, and then carried it on his hands again. He mumbled a few incoherent words again before pushing Rukia lightly aside from the door pane. He smirked when he decided to piss her off once again.

"Don't get in my way, boy. Uh, I mean, girl."

Renji blocked the kick with his leg and then swiftly caught her wrist when she tried to score an uppercut on his lower jaw. His free hand patted her crown and then his smirk went wider. He arched his eyebrow in a cocky manner.

"Train for another 2000 years to defeat me."

Rukia used that chance to swing her free leg toward his shins again. Renji was actually caught off guard when it landed perfectly there, and this time, it was far harder than the previous one. His eyes went wide and not long after, he let loose a howl. Well, at least that's what she heard when he screamed in pain and instantly downed in one leg. Rukia patted his crimson hair and then smirked.

"Train for another 4000 years to say that to me."

Rukia laughed out loudly and then ruffled his hair wildly. Renji slapped her hand away and then scowled at her before he got up and regained his composure from the pain that he felt. His scowl was slowly shifting into a distant look on his face when he looked at her again. She stopped laughing abruptly when she noticed that look on his face.

"Err, Renji… About yesterday—"

"It's fine, Rukia…" he scratched the back of his hair and then averted his gaze from her figure to the windowpane at the far wall. She frowned, how could he say everything's fine when their friendship was at the stake? She might have broken his heart, and worse, might've ended their over-than-50-years friendship just because of small things like that. Well okay, love wasn't a small thing. But compared to a friendship that they had built long since they're still brats from Rukongai, love was mean nothing. She didn't want their relationship as a friend ended just because of one small denial from her.

Renji slowly and carefully turned his face again to her and then opened his mouth to speak again.

"Rukia… You… You still want to be my friend, right? I mean, after you've rejected me and you've known the truth now, I hope we could still be—"

"Always, Renji, always. We'll always be friends forever." She smiled genuinely at him. Deep down she felt relieved that Renji didn't hate her or worse, holding a grudge against her.

"That's very… relieving. I thought that you would hate me after I… after I… you know..." Renji heaved a sigh and then scratched his crimson hair timidly. Rukia had to suppress her laugh when she saw a vague tint of red shade on his cheeks. Instead she just let a snicker escape from her thin lips. Renji quirked his eyebrow and then quickly frowned when he heard her snickering like that.

"Oi what's funny, you chappy-freaks."

Her eyebrow twitched hearing those infuriating words.

"You got a problem with that, Mr. Weird Eyebrows?"

She just had pressed the right button to activate his rage. Rukia knew it better than anyone else that, beside Ichigo of course, Renji would be very pissed when someone insulted the style that he had applied on his eyebrows.

And like the other time, it was working when Renji gritted his teeth. But then his mouth curved widely to form an evil smirk.

"Yeah, I got a problem with girls having an acute obsession over a stupid, ugly, and disgusting little bunny."

If Rukia had succeeded to activate Renji's rage, then this time he had succeeded to activate her hatred. Rukia's eyes were narrowing dangerously and she shot a deadly glare at him with such intensity that if looks could kill, Renji would be more than dead by now.

"What did you say about Chappy?"

Rukia cracked his knuckle and then approaching him slowly. She was smirking evilly and her eyes were looked like a slit, just like Ichimaru Gin had. And that was scarring the heck out of him. Renji swore he could see an evil aura radiating from her in the form of a rabbit with sharp fangs and claws, ready to shred him to pieces. Beads of sweats were forming and growing rapidly on his face as he gulped down his saliva in fear.

He had to step back as Rukia was still approaching him slowly but sure and pressing him with her murderous intent. And actually, he was pinned to the wall behind him. But Rukia didn't stop; instead her smirk went wider. Renji lifted his hands as a form of protection from being killed and then begged for his life.

"R-Relax, Rukia! I-I was just joking!"

But Rukia didn't stop; instead she cracked her knuckle again.

"I-I'm sorry Rukia!!! I was just—GYAA!!!"

*****

"Kuchiki-san, you sure want to go to school again? Your body still hasn't recovered yet from the fever." Urahara greeted Rukia while she was wearing her socks and shoes on the cloister of his shop. He wagged his fan in the front of his face in a typical fashion like he always did.

"Yeah… Being here and do nothing is kind boring for me. And I'm perfectly fine now. Thanks for your concern, Urahara." She gave him a slight side smile to him and then stood up.

"If that's what you want. But Kuchiki-san, aren't you going to wash your hand first from that blood? Speaking of which, whose blood is that?" Urahara arched his eyebrow in curiosity while staring at her crimson-colored palm. Rukia lifted her palm and she just realized Renji's blood was soaking it after she landed a nice uppercut on his lower jaw and a nice punch on his nose. She smirked evilly knowing that Renji was still unconscious right now in the front of the bathroom, after she put a hellish punishment to him for insulting her beloved rabbit. What a brute…

"Blood? What blood? Oh! What is this?!" Rukia pretended to be panicked and made her voice as innocent as she could. Well, that was actually convincing, because she had been used to play an innocent girl role on the school for almost 3 years up until now. To emphasize her act, she furrowed her eyebrows and then widening her violet orbs in a fake shock. She rashly washed her hands on the sink near the kitchen and then waved her hand before she opened the door. "See you later, Urahara. I'm in kind of hurry."

Urahara said nothing, but he knew that she was lying. He had been too used of Aizen's innocent act for almost 10 years to fall into that trick. A chuckle escaped from his lips and than he waved her goodbye. "See you later, Kuchiki-san. Hope you don't mind to do the dish for the dinner." He smirked while waving his fan at her. Rukia heaved a defeated sigh, knowing that she could do nothing to avoid that task. She was a free-loader, just like Renji right now.

The front door rolled aside and she walked outside the store. She stopped for a brief moment to watch the surrounding scene; the aesthetical azure sky, the brightly shining sun, the chirping flying birds, and the fresh cool air in the morning. She closed her eyes, took one big gulp of fresh air to fill her lungs, and then released it again. Oh what a wonderful morning! After two days of being lying down and sick, her body surely needed something to refresh it and she got it now. The cool breeze flew to her direction and she let it ghost her skin and fill her lungs again by inhaling it as deep as she could. She smiled cheerfully and then took one step forward.

"Morning, Rukia! Good day, isn't it?"

Rukia opened her eyes again and in the split of a second it went wide and she could feel her heart stopped pounding for one beat. There's a boy standing and leaning his back at the nearest pole smiling warmly at her. It was him, the guy whom she missed but hated the most at the same time.

Her tongue almost slipped off and said a morning greeting to him, if only she couldn't get a hold of it immediately. She could feel her heart was pounding loud, and the hot flush that was starting to climb up to her cheeks. Her inner was screaming in a cheerful tone, feeling happy that she could finally see his adorable figure again. His spiky orange hair, his handsome face, and his toned muscular arms. But then again, her grudge preventing her to glomp into him and greet him like usual.

She closed her eyes for a brief moment, trying to calm her heartbeat and erase the pink tint on her cheeks. And she swore she could've heard a chuckle on her head and a muttering of 'what a shy little girl…' words. Then another wave of chuckles coming again and it was actually irritating her. Damn Shirayuki, damn my feelings, and obviously, damn him!

"Err, Rukia… You alright? You were—"

"What do you want, Kurosaki?"

After regaining her composure again and actually able to shut the irritating sounds in her head, she lifted her chin again and shot a murderous glare at him. Her face was stoic and expressionless. Ichigo's heart skipped a beat after seeing her face and especially, hearing her voice. She resembled someone when she was like that, and it was very familiar to him. Err… Let's see… Who's that again…? A-ha!

"Well… I wasn't realizing it before, but now I can see why you and Byakuya are related."

And again, she almost lost her composure when her mouth was about to throw a tantrum at him. What the hell with that stupid statement?! Of course nii-sama and I were related! But instead, she just arched her eyebrows slightly in an uncaring fashion. Byakuya-mask facade mode on.

"Not that I care about your opinion concerning the relation about me and my brother."

"Is this Byakuya or Rukia? Because I can't tell the difference now."

The tantrum was about to fly from her mouth; it was at the edge of her tongue, ready to take off. Luckily, years of how-to-be-an-elegant-polite-and-stoic-Kuchiki-princess training helped her to keep her composure from crumbling. She narrowed her eyes in a slight disinterest before she spoke to him again in such a cold and expressionless sound

"If that was supposed to be funny for you, then we have a difference in our humorous sense. There's nothing to joke about me, and mostly my brother. Now if you please, I—"

"Can I walk you to school, Rukia?"

Her composure that she was struggling hard to retain was almost crumbled when she heard his offer and saw his warm, genuine smile. But then again, it was still 'almost' as her mask hadn't crumbled yet. Lucky for her; her uncaring expression that she wore on her face remained still, though her inner had already melted and flattered just like the other girls when they heard someone cool like Ichigo said that to them.

"I'm sorry I have to refuse your offer. I'm not walking with a sex maniac like you; it will be just too dangerous for me."

"S-sex maniac?!"

He stuttered a bit and his eyes widened in disbelief after hearing his new nickname. Okay, strawberry was a bad one. But this was way too worse than that!

"You heard me, didn't you? And don't you dare to forget why I called you like that."

With that, she shot another vicious glare at him before she walked again, ignoring his flabbergasted figure there beside the electric pole. Rukia just walked past him with such an uncaring and stoic expression on her face. She didn't even care to look, or give him a side glance when she did it. Ichigo was hurt, but just like Ishida said to him, love needed much, much sacrifice more that you could've ever imagined of. He heaved a sigh and then put his hands on his pocket before he started to walk toward his school. This day would be the longest day of his life.

*****

"Kuchiki-san!"

Inoue's eyes widened when she saw the petite figure that was walking inside the classroom. Then she stood up from her seat, running at her, and glomped her without waiting her response of her earlier greeting. Rukia gasped from the deadly brace that Inoue gave her. Inoue held her very tight and her large chests were pushing her smaller ones, suffocating her lungs. Rukia then laughed nervously while trying to breathe.

"Kuchiki-san, where have you been? I was worried about you when Kurosaki-kun told me that you're missing from his home 3 days ago!"

Rukia was still struggling hard to fill her lungs utmost need right now; a big gulp of fresh air. But she couldn't just push her away, that would be too harsh for a girl that was worrying her. Instead she just scratched the back of her hair sheepishly and then forced a grin on her face.

"Err… Inoue, could you please…"

Inoue tilted her head aside and quirked her eyebrow slightly, clearly didn't get what she was saying. Rukia sighed a little, though it was hard to do because her lungs barely had any air left to waste.

"Uhm… I can't breath, Inoue…"

"Oh… Sorry…"

Inoue released her brace and then smiled cheerfully at her, before she grabbed her arm and dragged her to the seat where Rukia used to fill everyday. It was beside Ichigo's. Rukia took a quick glance at his seat, but it was still vacant. She heaved a relieved sigh; both from finally being able to breathe and knowing that Ichigo still hadn't arrived yet. Inoue sat down at Ichigo's seat and then started to talk to Rukia again.

"So, Kuchiki-san, where have you been?"

Rukia smiled warmly at her, feeling grateful to have a friend like her. Her brain was rolling fast, thinking how to make a good lie. But considering Inoue was a type of an easy-to-be-lied person, this would be too easy for her.

"Uhm… Ukitake-taichou called me; he said that he needed me to do a mission." She lied, obviously.

"Oh… What kind of mission? Was it great? Was it dangerous? Did you get hurt? Did you do something awesome and thrilling like having a sword clash? Did—"

"I-Inoue, one question at a time, okay?"

Rukia didn't expect Inoue to ask such a lot of questions at her. Honestly, she didn't like to lie; moreover to Inoue. More questions meant more lies, and more lies meant more guilt. She felt sorry for lying at her like this, but she just couldn't tell her the truth. She heaved a heavy sigh to somehow ease the guilt on her chest, even for a slight before she answered all of her questions (with lies).

"Uhm, the thirteenth squad got a command from the Captain Commander to wipe 5 strong hollows that were detected inside the forest at the 67th district of Rukongai. It was actually fun, just like hunting the other hollows. Only they were at least five times stronger than the ordinary ones."

Rukia paused for a bit to see her reaction. But as it had been predicted, Inoue gave her a full attention at her story. And her eyes furrowed a bit when she heard that the (fake) hollows were much stronger that the ordinary ones. This was just making her more feeling guilty for lying at such a nice girl like her.

"And I didn't get any injuries. They needed to train at least another 100 years to even score a scratch at me." She gave her a haughty smirk and Inoue just chuckled after hearing her words.

"Really, Kuchiki-san. You're such a great shinigami. I wonder why your brother still hasn't given any permission for you to be promoted to be a seated officer."

"Well… I think you've already known the answer…"

"Yeah, I have… But— Ah, good morning Kurosaki-kun!"

Rukia instinctively turned her head to the direction where Inoue suddenly turned her attention to and found that irritating orange-haired boy was standing on the door way with that usual permanent scowl on his face and a bit of smile on his face.

"Yo, morning, Inoue! And Morning, Rukia!"

Wait the minute, she thought; didn't he just call me by my first name in the front of everyone?

**Sorry for long time updating. I didn't mean to abandon this story, it's just many bad things happened in these past few months. Hope you still read it and perhaps leave some reviews… Thanks…**


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